by Scott Sterling

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With the 2012 NCAA basketball playoffs whittled down to this weekend’s Final Four matchups pitting Ohio State against Kansas and Louisville versus Kentucky, the first-ever March Madness tournament of Environmental Studies has tightened up as well.

As we reported earlier this month, the “Sustainable 16” American colleges and universities had been selected to compete for the title of National Champion of Environmental Studies. This week, program sponsors Environmental Leader and Enviance, Inc announced the “Environmental Eight” schools chosen to advance to the next round. Both schools representing California in the "Sustainable 16" — UC Davis and Humboldt State University — have made the cut. They will be pitted against Colby College, Colorado State University, Ohio State, Purdue, Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Texas at Arlington.

“The schools that make up the ‘Environmental Eight’ have all demonstrated a significant dedication to, and pride in, their environmental studies programs,” said Lawrence Goldenhersh, CEO of Enviance and a tournament judge in a press release. “We’re proud to be pioneering a program that rewards the institutions that are preparing the best and brightest environmental professionals.”

Among the prizes awarded to the National Champions is $5000 to the school’s environmental and sustainability department.

Previously in Pacific Swell

KPCC's Molly Peterson on a Gilligan's Island style tour of environmental stories in and affecting Southern California. Named for the Yvor Winters poem: "The slow Pacific swell stirs on the sand/Sleeping to sink away, withdrawing land..."
Follow the blog at @PacificSwell and Molly at @KPCCmolly.